Buttonhole-finishing machine.



'L. 5T. CLAIR. BUTTONHOLE FINISHING MACHINE. APPLICATIO FILED 111511.21, 1916.

Patented J an. 16, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l'.

INF Nwwls PETERS co., Prlonrnifuo.. WASNIM f L. ST. CLAIR. B NHOLE FINISHING MACHINE.

A P cATloN FILED Amm. |916.r

1,212,580 Patented Jam, 7." y

4 SHEETS-sn \nven To r Lawrence Si Ckr WWMM L. sT. CLAIR. BUTTONHOLE FINISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR-2l, |916.

Patented J an. 16, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

nv eho-. Lawrence SCluT Attys. l

@Ta l i.- .antros HOL. 'recanti'-Unitaire-.n ...lor-Mania;

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. ver.-.asfsvsffrs:ASQRPOBATION (.j" Borronnonnrrnrsinne Mercante" To all whom .it may concern lBe it known that I, LAWRENCE S'r. CLAIR',

a citizen'ofthe United States, residing at Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Buttonhole-Finishing lVIachines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is -a specification, like. charactersgon the drawing representing vlike parts.

This invention relates to sewing machines of that type wherein the work to be stitched is bent before it is penetrated by the needle so that the latter may enter and emerge from the same side of the work thereby to produce a blind stitch. The invention is herein illustrated as it might be embodied in a sew.- ing machine of this type adapted for finishing the vbuttonhole pieces for boots and shoes.

The main object of the invention is to' provide a sewing machine of this type in which the use of a shuttle or'bobbin is elimi-l nated and the thread which is concatenated with the needle thread is a continuous one which is taken from a spool or other source of supply in the same way that the needlethread is. The advantage of this is that it obviates the frequent stopping 0f the machine for placing a new bobbin in the shuttle or for re-winding-the bobbin. I accomplish the above object by providing a looper device which coperates with the needle and is actuated in such timed relation thereto that said looper device will insert a loop of thread through each loop of needle thread while the needle inserts* a loop of needle thread through each loop of looper thread. This results in the'formation of a double chain stitch.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the no-vel features will be pointed out in the appended parts of the machine; Fig. 2 is aside View' thereof with aside of the frame removed; Fig. 3 is an end View; Fig. i is a section onthe line 1 -t, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the operation of the feed dog;

' "Appncation mea Aprn21,191e. seriainoszrai.

Fig. 6 isa view ofthe take-up; Fig. 7 is axsectionall view .showing the work bent into the .workbending groove and in position to receive the needle; Fig. 8 is an enlarged dia-4 grammatic view showing' the character of the stitch formed; Figs; 9,10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views showing the manner in which the looper and needle cooperates to produce the4 stitch.:

-1 indicates the frame of the .machine on which is supported the top plate -2 which I will hereinafter refer to asthe work support since'the work w, to be operated on is placed on the plate 2. This work support is provided with a worlcbending groove 3 into which the work/w is bent to receive the needle as usual in sewing machines of' this character.. The work'is bent into the. groove by means of a bender 1 which will be presently described more atlength.

5 indicates the needle which is caused to penetrate the work, as shown in Fig. 7, when the latter VisV 'bent into the work-bending groove 3, said needle entering and leaving the work on the same side thereof thereby to produce a blind stitch, as usual in machines of this class. This needle is supported by a horizontal needle bar 6 which is situated beneath the work supportQ and is mounted for reciprocation in a horizontal direction in a yoke or frame 7. The needle is given its. reciprocation from a driving shaft 15 which is journaled in suitable bearings in the frame and extends at right angles to the direction ofthe needle. This shaft has an eccentric 16 thereon, the eccentric strap 17 of which has an arm 1:8 extending therefrom which ispivotally connected at 19 to' an arm 20 that in turn is pivoted to lthe frame at 21. This armLO is connected by a link 22 toa pin 23 that is rigid with a collar 24 adjustably -secured tothe needle bar. The connection 19 between the arms 18' and 20 is an adjustable one, this being provided for by making the arm 2O with the slot 25 in which the pivotal connection 19 can bey adjusted. VThis vadjustment provides for varying the length of the' stroke of the needle bar, as will be obvious. l

The needle bar 6 is shifted laterally as it reciprocates as usual in sewing machines for finishing buttonholes thereby to form a zig-zag stitch. For this purpose, the yoke 7 is pivotally mounted at 8 in arms 9 rising from the frame 1, and said yoke has an Q nera-esc 1 arm. lOwigid therewith which is connectedN by a link 11 with an arm 26 fast ona rockshaft 12.v The roch-shaft 12 has an arm 13 provided with a shoe which operates in the switch cam 1a that is fast on the driving shaft 15. This switch cam mechanism is one commonly used in sewing machines of this type for shogging the needle laterally.

The loeper which coperates with the needle to form the stitches is shown at 27. As stated above, the looper is constructed to deliver a loop of thread through each loop of needle thread, while at the same time the needle` delivers a loop of needle thread through each loop of looper thread. The looper is in the form of a finger having a thread eye 28 near its end and a thread guide 29 through which the looper thread extends. This looper is mounted for vibrating movement in a horizontal direction lat erally to the reciprocating movement of the needle and also for vertical swinging movement. The looper is provided with a stem. 30 which is adjustably secured in an arm 31 that is pivoted at 82 to a frame 33. The arm 31 has a pin 34 depending therefrom to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 35, the other end of said link being connected to one arm 36 of an elbow lever. This lever is pivoted on a stud 37 rising from the frame and the other arm 38 thereof has a pivotal or ball-and-socket connection with the extension 39 of an eccentric strap d() that encircles an eccentric 41 formed on the shaft 15. These connections operate to oscillate the looper about its pivot 32 as the shaft 15 rotates. y

The frame 33 on which the looper' is mounted is provided with trunnions 410 that are journaled in bearings 4t2, 48 formed on the frame and one of these trunnions is of considerable length and has fast thereto a forked arm 1 -f1: that embraces an eccentric or cam 415 fast on the shaft 15. This eccentric or cam 45 operates through'the arm 44 to rock the looper about its trunnions, as will be obvious. The needle thread n is led to the needle in usual manner through some suitable tension device (not shown). The other thread Z which is manipulated by the looper, and which I will for convenience hereinafter refer to as the looper thread, is led from a spool or other suitable source of supply through a tension device 46 and thence through a take-up designated generally as 97, and which will be presently described, thence through the thread guide 29 on the looper and through the looper eye 28.

The manner in which the needle and looper coperate to coneatenate the stitches is illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 9,

' 10, 11 and 12. Fig. 9 represents the needle as thrust through the work fw, it being understood that the4 work will be bent into the workebending groove '3 lby the bender, as shown in, Fig. 7. As the needle begins its withdrawing movement a loop e7 of the needle thread a will be thrown out as usual. The looper is at this time moving in the direction of the arrow Fig. 9, and the frame 33 carrying the looper is so positioned by the cam t5 that the point of the looper will pass beneath the needle and through the needle loop 47, as shown. The needle is then completely withdrawn from the work, as shown in Fig. 10, thus leaving the loop Il? of needle thread around the looper. At this time the looper has completely entered the' loop 17 and carried a loop 48 of looper thread through said needle loop 47. The looper is then swung upwardly above the path of the needle and the needle is given its next penetrating thrust, as shown in Fig. 1l. As the needle moves forward it passes underneath the looper 27 because the latter has been moved upwardly by the rocking movement of the frame 33, and said needle enters the loop 18 of the looper thread, as shown in Fig. 11, and carries a second needle loop 49 of needle thread through the loop 48 of looper thread. While the needle is in its forward position shown in Fig. 1l the looper is retracted, thus completing the loop L18 of looper thread and shedding the rst loop 47 of needle thread. As the needle begins its retracting move menti and throws out the loop 49 of needle thread, the looper is moved forwardly again thereby to enter the second loop 49 of needle thread, and the above operations are repeated, thus forming the double chain stitch illustrated in F ig. 8.

The operation of the switch cam shifts the needle bar laterally at each thrust thereof, thus producing the zig-zag effect shown in Fig. 8 and causing the concatenated loops to overlie the thrum ends 50 of the buttonhole.

The bender t is herein shown as having a goose-neck shape and as extending down through an opening formed in the work support 2, said bender being pivoted at 51v to a suitable part of the frame. The bender is given its vibrating work-bending movement by means of a cam 52 fast on the shaft 15, said cam having a face groove therein in which the tail 53 of the bender is received. The end of the bender carries a roll 5stA which engages the work. The bottom of the work-bending groove 'is cut ,A

away, as shown at 60, directly beneath the bender and the bent portion of the work is supported on two rolls 55 that are suitably journaled in a stand 59, the purpose of these rolls being not only to sustain the work while the needle is making its penetrating thrust, but also. to assist in feeding the work.

56 indicates a feed dog by which the work is fed forward. This feed dog is shown as l l. G

atedgeither side oflthegrofllst, See* Eig; The feed Ihave' herein. i^llnstratedfis, the usual fourmotion feed, the feed dog being: raised against the work, then. moved forwardly to feed the work, then beingdepressed, and then moved rearwardly to its initial position. rIfhis feed dog 56 'is lcarried by an arm 57 which is provided with the forked portion 58 that embraces an eccentric 61 formed on the shaft 15. This eccentric gives the feed dog its rising and falling movement, as will be obvious. The arm 57 is fast on a shaft l62 that is journaled in the bearing 63 in the upper end of an arm 64 that is fast to a rock-shaft 65. This rock shaft 65 is journaled in suitable bearings 66 carried by the frame and has an arm 67 fast thereon that is pivotally connected to a crank pin 68 that is adjustably mounted in a crank disk 69 fast on the shaft l5. These latter connections operate to give the feed dog its backward and forward movement.

Any suitable take-up for the looper thread may be used. That herein shown comprises two parallel arms 7 0 having eyes 7l at their ends through which the looper thread Z passes. Situated between these arms and fast on the shaft l5 are two separated disks 72 having the shape shown in Fig. 6. 73 is 4an arm which is secured to the stand 7 4 and operates between the disks 7 2, the end of the@ arm resting on the hub of the disks, as

t shown in Fig. 6. As the take-up disks rotate,

the looper thread passes from one arm to the other around the periphery of the disks 72. As the take-up disks rotate, the thread is caught by the portion 76 thereof and is carried in a loop form over the shaft and between the arm 73 and the over-hanging arm 77, this operation resulting in taking up the thread and setting the stitch. The shape of the arm 7 3 causes the loop of thread to be shed from the point 76 of the take-up disks and the loop of needle thread then occupies the dotted line position, Fig. 6, it being retained in this position by the hooked end 78 of the arm 77. The take-up disks are provided in their periphery with thel notch 79 and when this comes in line with the end 7 S of the arm 77 the loop of thread is released and slack thread is thus given up for the formation of the next loop.

I have not herein illustrated any take-up mechanism for the needle thread, but it will be understood that any suitable or usual take-up device may be employed.

I/Vhile I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim:

l. In a machine for finishing buttonholes, the combination with a work suppo-rt having a work-bending groove, of a bender to bend thewerk .andthe gmane-,1 ahorzentaltyerea ciprecalting.,.needlefep-eratng." beneath pitite" the movements 'of the needle,l and 'meanstc lrock said framejy 2. In a sewing mach-ine, the ccurb-inetioni4 with a work support having a work-bending groove, of a bender for bending the work into said groove, a horizontally-reciprocating needle operating beneath the work support, a driving shaft beneath the work support extending at right angles to the needle, an oscillatory frame having a fork rigid therewith, a cam on said driving shaft cooperating with said fork to oscillate the frame, a looper pivoted to the frame, means for oscillating the looper by rotation of the driving shaft, and means to actuate the needle.

In a. machine for finishing buttonholes, the combination with a work support having a work-bending groove, of a bender for bending the work into said groove, said groove having an opening therein beneath the bender, means to feed the work, and rolls occupying the opening in the groove and on which the work is sustained when acted on by the bender, said rolls having their axes extending at right angles to the feeding movement, and stitch-forming mechanism. .5

4. In a buttonhole finishing machine, the combination with a frame provided with a 4work support having a. work-bending groove,

of a driving shaft beneath the work support, a l1orizontally-reciprocating needle situated beneath the work support, means to actuate said needle from the driving shaft, a looper pivoted to oscillate in a direction at substantially right angles to the movement of the needle, an arm connected to said looper, an elbow-lever pivoted to the frame, a link connecting one arm Aof said lever to the arm of the looper, and a connection between the other arm of said leverv and said shaft.

5. In a buttonhole finishing machine, the combination with a. frame provided with a work support having a work-bending groove, of a driving shaft beneath the work support, a horizontally-reciprocating needle situated beneath the work support, means to actuate said needle from the driving shaft, a looper pivoted to oscillate in a direction at substan tially right angles tothe movement of the needle, an arm connected to said looper, an elbow-lever pivoted to the frame, a link connecting one arm of said .lever to the arm of the looper, a connection between the other arm of said lever and said shaft, and a take.

up mechanism for the looper thread mounted on said shaft.

6. In a buttonhole finishing machine, the

@all

combination YWith 1a, frame-provided With a Work Slippoft having a Work-bending groove, of a drivingshal't beneath the Work support, horizontally-reciprocating needle situated beneath the Work support, means to actuate said needle from the driving shaft, a looper pivoted to osoillztte in. a direction et substantially right angles to the movement of the needle, an arm connected to said looper, en

neieeo:

elbow-lever pivoted to the frame, a 'link con- 1o necting one arm of said lever to the arm of the loopei, a connection between the other arm of said lever and said shaft, and a rotary take-up mechanism for the looper thread mounted on said shaft. l5

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

lLAWRENCE ST. CLAIR.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

